Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin voiced his disappointment with the SEC’s scheduling during his press conference on Monday.
With Ole Miss’s upcoming game against Georgia on Nov. 9 slotted for the afternoon spot, Kiffin’s Rebels now face two early games and two afternoon games in their final four contests of the year. The Georgia game in Week 11 and the Egg Bowl in Week 14 against Mississippi State will both take place in Oxford, MS.
The Nov. 9 primetime slot on ABC will instead go to Alabama-LSU from Baton Rouge, LA.
If the schedule stands, Ole Miss will have only had one night game at home this season and no SEC night games. Kiffin was asked about his thoughts on the Rebels’ upcoming afternoon games to close out the season on Monday.
“Yeah, I think that’s proven over time in NFL and college,” Kiffin said about the environment of night games compared to afternoon games. “Playing at night in electric atmospheres is a home-field advantage and it’s tough when you’ve got to do that as an opposing team. So that’s been proven for a long time. So who went at night? LSU gets to play at night again, I guess? Shocker. That’s two for two for them.”
Lane Kiffin wasn’t particularly happy about Ole Miss not getting a night game against Georgia, and LSU getting another (Alabama).
Rebels didn’t get an SEC night game in 2024
“So who went at night? LSU gets to play at night again I guess. Shocker. So that’s 2-for-2 for them” pic.twitter.com/l4f8JUXTuX
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) October 28, 2024
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Kiffin is referring to LSU defeating the Rebels in an overtime contest at night in Tiger Stadium just a handful of weeks ago on Oct. 12. Ole Miss fell by a score of 29-26 in OT.
The Rebels do not have a single SEC night game scheduled this season even though Ole Miss has been a Top 20 program this year.
“It is an advantage,” Kiffin continued on to say. “I feel bad for our fans, not to have one night conference game. It’s really unfortunate for them. So, whatever, it’s just really disappointing but it is what it is.
It seems likely that Kiffin’s mind is still on his team’s overtime night loss to LSU combined with the fact that LSU is getting the Week 11 primetime slot, but Tennessee has also had a fair number of night games this season. With the Rebels and Volunteers not playing this year, perhaps Kiffin’s mind might not be on the team in Knoxville as much.
After hosting Chattanooga in the 12:45 p.m. window in the season opener, Tennessee played NC State in Charlotte at 7:30 p.m., Kent State in Knoxville at 7:45 p.m., Oklahoma in Norman at 7:30 p.m., Arkansas in Fayetteville at 7:30 p.m., and Florida in Knoxville at 7:00 p.m.
The Volunteers also have upcoming home games against Kentucky and Mississippi State slated for night games in the next two weeks. Tennessee’s Nov. 16 game against Georgia could also be a night game in Athens, GA.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live, on-site coverage of Tennessee’s Dark Mode contest against Kentucky this weekend in Knoxville.
2 Responses
The difference is that 3 of those night games Tennessee is playing away. So, Tennessee is at a disadvantage. Only 1 of the 2 night home games is against an SEC team. Thats why he could not call out Tennessee with the scheduling.
Maybe he’d prefer to play Florida’s schedule. Jus’ sayin’!